Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 3, 1994 TAG: 9409090022
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
First it was X-back Eric Webb. Then, it was quarterback Andre Eaves. By the end it was anybody who touched the football.
The result was an easy 55-20 season-opening victory for the Cougars in a non-district game against the visitors from Washington, D.C.
The Indians (1-1) fell to Pulaski County for the ninth consecutive time.
Pulaski County moved the ball at will in the first half, scoring on four of six possessions. The only times the Cougars failed to reach the end zone was because they fumbled away the ball once and ran out of time at the end of the half.
Webb did most of his damage early. Every time Pulaski needed important yardage on its first possession, the Cougars ran their patented reverse-counter and got the ball to Webb. His first three runs - 14, 11 and 22 yards - all went for first downs. His fourth gain was only 8 yards. But it was worth six points.
``We emphasized our running game all week,'' said Webb, who finished with 119 yards on 10 carries. ``We knew they were coming in with a passing attack. We knew we had to come out real strong and run it down the gut on them.''
After that score, Anacostia had a chance to make things interesting. The Indians quickly drove downfield and a 25-yard burst up the middle by Robby Preston gave them first-and-goal at the Pulaski 3. Only a tackle by Eaves prevented Preston from reaching the end zone.
But a penalty for too many players on the field moved the ball back to the 18. Three incomplete passes and a bad snap from the shotgun formation on fourth down not only prevented Anacostia from scoring but gave the ball back to the Cougars on downs at their 38.
Webb continued to be the workhorse for Pulaski for most of their second drive. But when it came time to reach the end zone, Eaves kept the ball himself. With 32 seconds left in the first quarter, Eaves scored on an 11-yard quarterback draw.
In the second quarter, Eaves added big plays to the Cougars' arsenal. Early in the period, he turned a quarterback draw around left end and scampered 40 yards for a touchdown. Then, with about three minutes to go in the half, Eaves scrambled around to buy time and hit wide-open Chris Newcomb with a 34-yard scoring strike.
``Our line did a great job wearing down their defensive line,'' said Eaves, giving his seal of approval to the Cougar's rebuilt offensive front. ``They opened up the holes to run through, and they gave me time to set up and throw the ball.''
In the second half, the names changed for Pulaski but the results were the same as the Cougars put a pair of touchdowns on the scoreboard in each quarter.
Tim Davis and Ronald Branch scored in the third period, Tywan Brown and Jawan Clark in the fourth.
Overall, Pulaski rushed for 436 yards. It averaged nearly 91/2 yards per carry.
Anacostia, D.C.-0-0-6-14 - 20
Pulaski County-14-14-14-13 -55
PC - Webb 8 run (Graham kick)
PC - Eaves 11 run (Graham kick)
PC - Eaves 40 run (Graham kick)
PC - Newcomb 34 pass from Eaves (Graham kick)
PC - Davis 1 run (Graham kick)
PC - Branch 2 run (Graham kick)
A - Langley 15 run (pass failed)
PC - Brown 1 run (Graham kick)
A - Harrison 27 pass from Gibson (pass failed)
PC - Clark 12 run (kick blocked)
A - Cherry 23 pass from Payne (Payne run).
-----------------------|||||-Anacostia|--Pulaski
First downs---|--17|--23
Yards rushing-|--96|-436
Passes C-A-I---|-19-35-1|-1-2-0
Yards passing-|-257|--34
Penalties-yards|-6-66|-3-25
Fumbles-lost--|-2-1|-4-2
Punts-average-|-4-26.3|---0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING - Anacostia, Langley 10-63, Preston 2-26, Payne 1-18, Gibson 3-6, Awatefe 1-3, team 1-(-20). Pulaski County, Webb 10-119, Davis 7-65, Hunter 6-51, Shockley 2-45, Brown 6-41, Conner 4-32, Clark 3-31, Beverly 1-15, Branch 1-2.
PASSING - Anacostia, Gibson 17-33-1-213, Payne 2-2-0-44. Pulaski County Eaves 1-2-0-34.
RECEIVING - Anacostia, Thomas 6-66, Payne 4-65, Cherry 5-64, Harrison 3-41, Baxter 1-21. Pulaski County, Newcomb 1-34.
by CNB